Chennai : India has taken a decisive leap toward technological self-reliance with the launch of its first fully indigenously developed supercomputing system, ‘Param Shakti’, marking a milestone in the country’s high-performance computing (HPC) journey and research infrastructure.
The 3.1-petaflop supercomputer was inaugurated on January 3 at Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) by S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Developed and manufactured entirely within India, Param Shakti represents a major boost to the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat in advanced computing technologies.
Built on Indian Hardware and Software
Param Shakti is powered by RUDRA series servers designed by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) and operates on an open-source software ecosystem, including AlmaLinux and system software developed indigenously by C-DAC.
The project has been funded under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), jointly implemented by MeitY and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
Powering Advanced Scientific Research
Capable of executing over 3.1 quadrillion calculations per second, Param Shakti is now among the most powerful supercomputers housed in Indian academic institutions. The system is expected to accelerate research across critical domains such as:
- Aerospace engineering
- Materials science
- Climate and weather modelling
- Drug discovery
- Advanced and precision manufacturing
IIT Madras has established a dedicated, NSM-compliant data centre to support the system, featuring 24×7 power backup, advanced cooling mechanisms, and integrated infrastructure. Operational since May 2025, the facility has already achieved over 80% utilisation, reflecting strong demand from India’s research community.
Strengthening India’s Self-Reliant Computing Ecosystem
Speaking at the launch, MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan emphasised the growing need for high-end computational capabilities across disciplines and highlighted India’s strategy of supporting multiple GPU and hardware architectures under the IndiaAI Mission. This approach, he noted, reduces dependence on any single proprietary technology and promotes a resilient, innovation-driven AI ecosystem.
Krishnan also revealed that 37 supercomputers have already been deployed nationwide under NSM, with more in the pipeline—including India’s largest supercomputing system, soon to be installed in Bengaluru.
Academic and Indigenous Innovation Push
IIT Madras Director Professor V. Kamakoti said Param Shakti would significantly expand the institute’s research capabilities and encouraged students and researchers to focus on developing energy-efficient, secure, and scalable software. He stressed that indigenous technology development is key to India’s long-term scientific leadership.
C-DAC Director General E. Magesh reflected on the evolution of the RUDRA platform and urged researchers to increasingly rely on Indian-built HPC systems. Faculty members also showcased ‘MicroSim’, an NSM-supported, open-source multi-GPU solver developed at IIT Madras, now ranked among the fastest in its category.
With Param Shakti at its core, India is entering the next phase of the National Supercomputing Mission, with national computing capacity projected to move steadily toward exascale performance, positioning the country as a global force in advanced scientific computing.
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